Winter snowstorms--whether in your area or halfway across the country--are opportunities for excuses. An excuse not to work. An excuse to stay in sweatpants all day. And an excuse to drink hot chocolate.

The flipside of that excuse: If you're stuck at home all day with not much else to do but watch the snow fall, there's no reason not to make your hot chocolate the best it can be. Here are a few ways to give your drinking chocolate an upgrade.

It's no secret to anyone that's spent more than a few waking moments with me that I have a sweet tooth. There's always a pint of ice cream in my refrigerator (Green pistachio from Brooklyn's Van Leeuwen currently in heavy rotation). I eat caramel corn like it's my second job. I've never experienced the joy of leftover pie because those two words don't belong in the same sentence together.

If you're hosting a holiday party or potluck this season, chances are you'll end up with several unfinished bottles of wine cluttering up your countertops. Granted, there could be worse problems. But there are better ways to deal with it than letting it turn to vinegar and then pouring it down the drain. Kevin Nashan, the James Beard nominee and chef-owner of the Sidney Street Cafe and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co., both in St. Louis, shared his tips for breathing new life into leftover vino.

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a steaming cup of hot chocolate. It makes the frigid temperature a little more worth it, knowing you can cozy up with a mug after a long day. But the days of instant hot chocolate from a packet of quesitonable origin are over. These days, we make our favorite holiday drink ourselves and, as a result, it's infinitely customizable, and as good as whatever chocolate you want to use.

Whenever I'm faced with the "brownie or cookie" decision at holiday parties, the former usually wins over my heart. Then about 20 minutes later, I go back for the cookie. Every. Single. Time.

Why must I choose between two perfect foods? Luckily, I don't have to -- and neither do you. These cookies are like the best of both worlds. Bonus: They also happen to be magically gluten-free. Keep reading to get the scoop on your new favorite chocolate cookie.

You guys know you can't show up to a holiday party empty-handed right? Don't worry though, edible gifts are easy and always appreciated. The easiest one of all? Chocolate bark. Think of it like a giant homemade chocolate bar that can be assembled in less than 20 minutes. Yup, making this festive confection is as easy melting chocolate, quite literally. From there it's all about the toppings, and the possibilities are infinite. Read on for the easiest chocolate bark method ever, plus 15 unique topping combinations from the brains of the Epi editors.

As delicious at those Pillsbury chocolate chip cookies from a tube are, it's high time you learned how to make the ultimate batch all by yourself. And because everyone is so particular about how they want their cookies to be—thin and crispy, big and chewy, chocolate chips or chunks—it's best to find a no-fail recipe that really speaks to you. If you've never found a recipe that yields the type of cookie you like, consider these 6 ultimate chocolate chip cookies, all of which are perfect and delicious in their own way.

Let's unofficially declare November the start of hot chocolate season. That means it is time to stock up on marshmallows and get cozy with your favorite mug. But if your idea of hot chocolate begins and ends with a packet of Swiss Miss, you are missing out. Real-deal hot chocolate has so much more to offer. Just ask Maury Rubin, founder of The City Bakery in New York City.

The City Bakery launched their now-iconic hot chocolate on opening day in December, 1990. It quickly gained a devoted fan base, thanks to its intense chocolatey flavor and velvety, almost pudding-like thickness that was nearly impossible to find any where else. Nearly a quarter of a century later, it remains one of the city's most sought after sweets. In preparation for the months of hot chocolate drinking ahead, Rubin shared some of his insider tips for making the the ultimate cold weather drink even more delicious.

If baking intimidates you, it is likely that you have not yet encountered one of Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbooks. The baking maven has penned ten books that are prized for their meticulously tested recipes, and exacting, step-by-step methods that read as if Beranbaum herself was standing there with you at your kitchen counter, whisk in hand.

Her newest work, The Baking Bible, is a 500-page magnum opus that includes updated interpretations of some of her most classic recipes (like her orange glow chiffon cake) as well as entirely new pastries, cookies, breads, and pies. "I am always developing and tweaking recipes so things just naturally continue to evolve," she said.

Beranbaum did not grow up baking--her grandmother stored pots and pans in the oven--and did not begin baking until she left for college at the University of Vermont. But over the years, Beranbaum has become a bonafide expert of all things pastry. Lucky for us, she was willing to share some of her hard-earned trade secrets. Here are Beranbaum's 7 foolproof tips to make every baker--or aspiring baker--better.

Looking for an adorable Halloween cookie? Keep it simple! There's no need to run out and search for cookie cutters and sparkly sugars for these "scream cheese" filled mummy sandwiches. These scary cute cookies can be whipped up using ingredients you probably already have on hand. And unlike most decorated cookies, these get their spooky faces from melted chocolate, so they taste as good as they look.